1. Past week few people commented about the need of having a single stream school system in Malaysia. Najib as anticipated played down the issue by saying that it will not be implemented if the people do not want it. As Malaysian, we need to ask ourselves which is more important, political survival of some politicians or the need to be one, as a nation.
2. Some people may argue that the country has progressed over the last 52 years with the current system in place. There isn’t a need to change because education index among Malaysian is high, per capita income is high. We have many highways and tall buildings. Are these criteria enough to measure the maturity and success of a nation?
3. Former Propaganda Minister, Zainuddin Maidin said “Malaysia should emulate Singapore’s single stream school system so as to produce a population that “no longer spoke and acted on racial sentiments”. Well, there is some truth about what the Zainuddin is saying but it is not the only reason. Singapore became what it is today, because of strong political leadership with political will and strong governance. They had one mission and the mission remains the same since 1965. In Malaysia, it is not the same. For e.g. One PM came with out with Islam Hadhari and the next PM made it into “Islam hari hari”. The point I am trying to get at is that our goals change with the PM of the country.
4. The key point that we must accept is that after 52 years of implementing the present education system, the people of this country are still divided along racial lines. The current system of education does not promote trust between the people. It becomes a sore point among many people in the street. We must appreciate that the current system is in place because some people felt it is a must to maintain their mother tongue and the politicians who pushed this ideology did it for the sake of themselves and not the country, Malaysia. These are the very people who govern the nation for 52 years and place their interest first before the nation. I believe it is time to move forward.
5. If we accept the fact that Malaysia comes first before the politicians and the hardcore racist people, then we must do what is right. The right thing is the government must provide a single stream education system. This is not something new. It is practiced worldwide. It is proven beyond the shores of Singapore. In Indonesia, the government there even forces the non Malays to have an Indonesian name but we don’t have to go that far. We must accept that people, who eat, play together and talks in common language maintains a stronger and lasting bond. We must start afresh after having a failed system in the last 52 years.
6. We must have the political will to change. It is better to cut off and starts a new and gets rid of this thorn in the flesh. The government must no longer support vernacular schools. Politicians on both sides must not be held ransom by the votes of people that support vernacular system. The vernacular schools can continue to exist on their own as other private schools in the country. This is done in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and many other parts of the world. They should not get any government funding. Any government of the day that continues funding vernacular schools either via donation or others means that the government is promoting racial based policies. Maintaining mother tongue and culture should be done at home. Malaysian school system must be devoid of excessive religious infusion and must focus on key elementary subjects. Language classes can be provided within the government system as an option. My not so favorite Education Deputy Minister, Wee Kah Siong may not agree with me. He would argue that it is embeded in the Malaysian constitution. We have change the constitution more than thousand times. Changing it once more makes no difference.
7. As Malaysian, we need to ask ourselves. Which one comes first, the nation or oneself or maintaining mother tongue? Should we sacrifice and continue splitting this nation of ours along racial lines or focused to be as one. To me, Malaysia comes first.
Former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on Tuesday admitted that Singapore’s insistence on bilingual education has been wrong. The father of current Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Lee now holds the honorary title of minister mentor and was prime minister from 1959 to 1990, and senior minister from 1990 to 2004.
When Singapore separated from Malaysia in 1965, Lee made the country strictly English-speaking for the subsequent 19 years. But with the rise of China as a powerhouse in the global community, Lee hoped to make the country bilingual, having children educated in both English and Chinese since 1984.
“We started the wrong way,” Lee told Channel NewsAsia. “We insisted on ting xie (listening), mo xie (dictation) — madness!” He confessed that he still cannot speak Mandarin perfectly, even after over 40 years of learning it. “Nobody can master two languages at the same level. If (you think) you can, you’re deceiving yourself. My daughter is a neurologist, and late in my life she told me language ability and intelligence are two different things,” he said. “Successive generations of students paid a heavy price, because of my ignorance, by my insistence on bilingualism.”
But he said no matter language skills people have, they will use Mandarin in later life if they learn it early, saying that the education authority and parents in English-speaking households should help make Mandarin attractive to children and encourage them to speak and listen to it as much as possible.
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/11/20/2009112000819.html
This post is great and the discussions going on here even better.
This is slightly out of topic, but I got these questions from my ‘discussions’ at the deminegara blog.
Seeing there are more students or parents whose children go to vernacular schools here than there. Perhaps someone would be kind enough to answer them or point to the right direction.
Aku asked..
Now, in wanting to understand the Chinese in this country and the Dong Zong people clinging to SRJKCs, may I, in good faith, put the following questions to you:
1. What is the nature of the clan associations of the Chinese, the range of members, do the big towkays help the smaller businesses
2. Are all clan members ipso facto members of the associations, how much do they contribute to the SRKCs, are they per standard rates or according to financial ability
3. Are the SRJKCs run on clan lines, each SRJKC financed by the clan concerned
4. These may be sensitive ones but I’m asking in good faith: Are the clan associations and/ or SRJKCs connected to any of the secret societies and gangs. Are those secret societies and gangs run along clan lines.
END
It’d be great to get those from vernacular school’s thoughts on the matter.
msleepyhead
1. Similar to orgs like KIMMA & PERKASA. Big boys games only, small fry dies.
2. Same as 1. Big boys want the name, contributes.
3. See Sekolah Agama Rakyat & Madrasahs. Based on the respective political parties & interests.
4. Yes. The gangsters control the streets & terrorises anyone who dares venture close. Current curriculum include bomb making & IEDs but lack the suicide inclination to carry out missions like those from 3.
Thanks Azhar for the light hearted post. Terima kasih.
People have become too sensitive to comments and others opinions. Situation explosive but being exploited by some politicians for their own ends and to divert attention from other more pertainent issues, like when the next landslide is gonna happen in this rainy weather.
Dear msleepyhead,
Will not answer you based on your question’s.
Chinese Clans…..tend to and always try to out do themselves….., to show their kiasu attitude.
Involvement of S.C. is a known secret….., but they treasure education as the mean …to transform their children in their commiunitty to lead a whole life.
Thanks balasi,
In some cases it is known that despite the s.c. activities, they usually shield it from their children, looking at it as one generation’s sacrifice by gaining ‘dirty’ money for the betterment of the next. S.c. can be seen as a way out to a better life, this is of course different from blatant crime like plain robbery and all the s.c.’s are highly organized with hierarchies, territories and such. At least, that’s what I get from watching all those HK s.c. flicks.
So there is a combination of the kiasu factor – competition, betterment of life, and the believe that the scholarly route leads to a better legal life.
Dr. Rafick,
After going through …….previous write up from Ah Pek & Morning Dew……, just realise I should have commented.
Since it was posted on the 3/11….will leave it at that.
Will like to highlight to Doc., there is a whole lot of truth… in Ah Pek writings…., and MD summary…., please reread and respond for tis topic is far from over.
Should keep this forum running…., for it’s our children’s future.
Why must we “copy” what Singapore is doing? We copied Singapore many decades back when gates were built across streets leading to the city centre of Kuala Lumpur. These gates were intended to serve as boundaries marking “restricted zones”, similar to those in Singapore and where the government is entitled to collect daily charges on vehicles entering the city!
But these guys over here forgot one important thing! Do they have a proper public transport system where the people can take to where they want to go? Without a proper public transport system, these gates would only serve as white elephants and they had to be dismantled. Wouldn’t this amount to a waste of public funds?
The government wants the national car industry to flourish but on the other hand, wants to discourage people from driving into the city centre? Wouldn’t that amount to having the best of both worlds??????
Dr..
So when is the time to change to 1Sekolah? The answer is when BN govt is thrown out and many of them to be thrown to jail. Follow by the gradual increase of quality in national school, open up all race based schools, no more religious schools… race based politics has given birth to race based schools and uni. get rid of those first.
and then, definitely there will be PULL FACTOR for parents to send their kids to national school. If national school is good, i will be the first one to send my children to national school as i am a product of the national school.
QUALITY SPEAKS THE WHOLE LOT. The parents will know what to choose when the time comes.
So instead of wasting time trying to convince everyone here to masuk 1sekolah, why not spend more time to strategise how to boot out UMNO led govt.
Dr,
We are too ahead in time in a globalised world and to insist that BM to be used in official communication, it’s a step backwards. Accept it, it’s reality. We are not Japan, Korea or Germany. We are Malaysia competing with many developing countries for commerce. You can have excellent BM but bank call centres do not hire ppl who are good in BM but in English.
If we insist to compare with Japan and Germany, we are just living in denial. We should be comparing ourselves with Singapore and Hong Kong.
Bottom line, it’s not that we are not patriotic and don’t like BM but we can’t survive with scoring 100% in BM and failed terribly in English.
Be real, how many UiTM graduates are earning good decent living? If you look at wage earners who earn tonnes of money, are they more inclined to BM or English speaking?
Dr, is your blog in BM or English?
Dear jebat’s fren,
I would like to put in record that I’m not answering on behalf of Dr. ……but since this is market place….we have a chance to reply all comments.
I agree….., with all that you wrote…, but not the last sentence.
Please don’t be sarcastic …..when you address the Blog owner,….. other wise very good disclosure. Thanks Bro.
Dear Jebat fren
(1) You are missing the essence of the writing. I am not asking to sacrifice english and take 10 step backwards
(2) Education is a proven method in promoting unity. We should use it and at the same time excel in all the things that we do
(3) I can write both in English in BM. I can argue a case in BM eloquently if given the opportunity. I can demonstrate that my BM is good. That is what the former HM and MOE officials said when I argued with them at the ministry on the problems related to my children headmaster.
I chose to write in English because I believe most of my readers prefers it that way.
Give you a simple real example.
A friend of mine whose grand daughter scored straight 5As in the primary and requested to continue her studies in S.K Gaffar Baba Masjid Tanah. The school did not accept her while all her friends were accepted into the school.
Her former school made arrangement to transfer her to another school and she was put in the “D” Class. She complained to the HM but not action.
She reapplied to another school in malacca but was turned down because the school refused to release her. She went to see the HM of the convent school who made arrangement to be transfered…either to Pay Fong or the Convent school. After much hassle she got into the convent and was put in the A class.
The question is why the double standard.???
Why the majority of the chinese send their children to vernacular schools …because their Teachers are more dedicated and caring. Don’t believe me ask all the malays who have children in these chinese vernacular schools. They are treated equal.
On my visit to malacca I happened to meet a teacher and the school he is in has three std one classes. Total chinese 12 pupils and the rest all malays…WHY ????
Perhaps you should do some research on the ground??
There are many more nonsense, another example…I am sure you have also heard when handout of reading material/papers by teachers in SK, the chinese student were told to get it themselves.
Meng,
There are pitfalls in our present system…., one of this forums aim is to eradicate…problems like what you highlighted.
Kena sabarlah…..meng. Everybody out there know the short comings in SRK….., it’s just that nobody wanted to address it till now.
We have to thank Dr. Rafick, …..for opening up this particular forum on education.
Meng
(1)Thank you for your feedback
(2) What you are writing is about quality issue in one school compared to the other. You also raised the issue of one child difficulty in getting placement where in your observation it is due to racist related reasons
My own assessment after reading your writing
(1) You are over generalizing the problem
(2) You did not understand the basis of my article which is about unity via education
(3) I agree that there are problems in current education system and that is why I proposed 1-school system which will be the starting point of bringing the people into this nation together
(4) Parents plays an important role in ensuring quality but in most PIBG this is not happening. PIBG committee largely focus of fund raising and pleasing school management to ensure their own children receive special attention
“PIBG committee largely focus of fund raising and pleasing school management to ensure their own children receive special attention.”
I believe this accounts greatly for the difference between national and Chinese schools. Many of the national schools’ PIBGs are controlled by the principal/teachers who block-vote during the AGM to reject ‘trouble-makers’ and to elect friendly parties. On the other hand, the teachers of Chinese schools are kept on their toes by the parents, regardless of whether they are on the parents committee or not – many kiasu parents will not hesitate to go fight for even 2 marks during exams. The
apa-apa pun SATU sekarang nie………sampai timbul isue SATU TANDAS………….cubala fikirkan sesuatu yang lebih bernas……….
Dr. Rafick,
This country is so divided that it will take a long time to correct itself.
Nobody…., no what there are talking……, more so our politicians.
They keep changing the text books…, so some crony in the government will get the contract to enrich..himself.
Where do we head from here ?
My suggestion is to form a ROYAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION ….., they should be left to prod…, all the short comings in our system after taking consideration from all parties…., and it should be implemented at all cost…, even if certain guys need to be sacrificied.
correction : nobody know what they are talking.
Dr. Rafick,
Please allow me to pose this question to all that follow this BLOG.
a. If you are in the fifties….., was the education system then Perfect.?
b. If you are and you are bogged down with sending your children to tuition classes now …does it make you feel that something is vey wrong with our education system.?
c.With a MCE.cert…from the seventies…., you were taught to think outside the box,….where else….our guys with degree….need to be coached.
Lot’s more……., will not burden the others.
PLEASE ANSWER ME….WHERE DID WE GO WRONG.!!!!!
Doc,
-1-school system good idea, to have all Malaysians mingle at a young age with children of different races.
I am a product of the English medium missionary school. I had classmates of all the majors races in Peninsular Malaysia and I grateful and proud to be able to experience it. Along the many years since I left school ,the Malaysian school system had change drastically.
-The reality in Malaysia is that the political parties are divided along racial and religous lines, e.g. MIC,IPF,PPP,Makkal Sakti,Hindraf,MCA,UMNO,PAS,PBB and UPKO. These parties are the “Bapa Katam” who are trying to teach the “anak-anak katam” (all the chidren in the schooling system ) to walk straight ?.
Blur the race and religion line first in the so-called adult world of politics then we can start teaching our children we are of one nation. We can be brought up in a single education system but when we grow up the politicians make sure you know which race you belong to and what religion you profess. So get rid of race -based parties first then talk about 1-school.
Egg and Chicken dilemma?
Cheers
I can’t help but to feel disappointed not just because of this article but also it reflects on the mentality. Unlike Lee Kuan Yew, Malaysia did not start off on the right footing. We unfortunately begin with racial bias system. And no one big enough to change the system like LKY to have equal rights for all citizen. This is the only one source of disunity.
In the case on education, LKY is a chinese but use English as the medium. Are you big enough to do the same, as a Malay and English in the system. We ask ourselves before we ask others.
The problem with Malaysia is plainly lack of quality leadership. We have lost our path.
Salmon, probably you should know and differentiate that LKY’s mother tongue is not Chinese, therefore he has no (hard) feelings in implementing English education system, by political force and power at his disposal. There is always a price to pay for this language policy… you can gauge their secondary language (non-english) command, comparable to the ethnic culture they preserve nowadays.
I would still standby the statement that equal rights for all citizen has nothing to do with which language you use for teaching medium. It would be more fair to let the parents decide which education they want their children to receive. This is democracy. Education rights are not for political tool. You can see what disaster Dr M’s ‘Science & Maths in English’ policy brings.
Dear All
There is so much confusion about 1 school that I wrote. As such I am going to clarify in bullet points about “My 1 School” at primary level. At the secondary level there would be some differences. At this juncture, I am only addressing issue for primary level
(1) Objective:
The aim of primary education is to give students a good grasp of National language and strengthen the English language and other mother tongue with emphasis on Mathematics and Science and promote national intergration.
(2)Strategy
(a) Programs to be implemented at all government SK from standard 1 starting as soon as resources are made available. Students attending the participating schools are exempted from any school fees.
(3) Options for Vernacular schools
(a) To participate and be converted into SK or
(b) To opt out and maintain and be privatized as vernacular private school
(4) School programs must focus on the primary aim
(5) Religious program is taken out from the normal school hours and is done separately
(6) Language program is optional to ALL students
(7) Adequate resources must be provided
Dr, to me it seems like a good plan.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether Malaysians are agreeable to the proposal or not .
We are not in the position of power to make these changes in the policies.
That is why the 1 school system was shelved, even before further discussion to fine tune it to make it a WIN-WIN solution.
Pro -vernacular school supporters complain quality, culture, religion and language as the factor.
You came up with quite a good plan to counter these weaknesses but yet it is still not enough.
Don’t you agree ?
Dr. Rafick,
Now I agree with you with just one doubt to clear.
Will Science and Maths be taught in English…., so we can keep up with the rest of the world…… or we pick and choose so that our children….lose out at the other end.
To be frank…the reason I enrolled in SAB….., was because my parents….need not pay school fees., dad had just become a pensioner. PRES doors were open to MBS.
Cheers.
Dr.
Don’t mean to pour cold water over you. It looks like you are out of touch with the Malaysian Education System.
Let me point out:
1) Objectives:
Isn’t this implemented in Chinese and Tamil primary, where all students learn 3 languages? Who are strong in Maths and Science? See the students who speaks English and Malay well at tertiary level. Who needs six months of “post-graduate” training in English?
2)Strategy
… from standard 1 starting as soon as resources are made available.
** This problem has been there all these whiles. How to get the resources?
..Students attending the participating schools are exempted from any school fees.
** Excuse me? Isn’t the present education free from school fees? Please enlighten me.
(3) Options for Vernacular schools
Do you know that building and maintenance funds in these schools are self-help from the community, apart from a meagre subsidy from MOE? What are our taxes for?
4….7) Ideals. Wish you luck.
Sorry, I left out 6)
What do you mean. POL optional? Or still the same problem of teaching POL after normal classroom hours? Btw, those students who did POL in our days ended up unable to write the language learnt, with exception of 1 in 1000 or so.
As I have mentioned earlier. Most of us are happy that our parents sent us to vernacular primary schools. We are all well versed with at least 2 languages if not 3. Why settle for less when we have the capability to take more?
Inter-racial mingling?…F those politicians who polarised this beloved nation.
Halim Cino.
Don’t know how to respond to you…, but…will respond on item (6 )
It’s a shere idiots view that theybjust had this …..to show the cared for the other races…
POL should have been the criteria …., where a student cannot get a full cert without it….., then we can comment.
Halim Cino, the ones that study in venacular school that can read and write well, at least in 2 languages are mostly those that have parents who are english educated and speak English at home.
Of course those Malays that sent their children there also gain this advantage.
So yang lain-lain, good luck to them when the move on to Sekolah Kebangsaan in secondary school.
Neither here nor there. Mandarin or Tamil learned at primary level so-so only, English and BM lagi teruk. The worst ones are those studying in small towns not big cities. You will find a lot cannot speak English or BM well. If parents have money, lucky them, study private college etc.
i dont agree on items (5). I think PPSMI should not be brought back.
Mr Balasi,
Malaysians are good at PANADOL relief system!
They prescribe Panadol for all PAINS!
FROM HEAD TO TOE!
Hope Dr Raffick won’t feel offended!
I know he is not one of those !
So we never EVER BOTHER TO find OUT the REAL & ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND WE START TO PRESCRIBE A SOLUTION/MEDICATION!
WALAH THE PAIN …IT GOES AWAY!
WHAT A MIRACLE DRUG – PANADOL!
ONLY LATER TO FIND OUT THAT THERE IS A TUMOR AND CANCER HAS SPREAD…MATI LOR!
SO MALAYSIAN TRULY BOLEH LAND AND NOW 1 MALAYSIA MEMANG BAGUS!
EVERYTHING ONE HERE ONE THERE…DRIVE AROUND TOWN AND SEE FOR YOURSELF…EVERYWHERE ONE ONLY!
THIS IS CALL THE “BODEK” SYNDROME!
ROSMAH SAID I ALSO WANT TO SAY:
“ONE WIFE ONLY JIBBY”!
DUN PLAY PLAY …ADA FAHAM !
SO APA MAU CAKAP…..ONE CURE FOR ALL ALSO!
ONE PEE MMMMM BUT……… MANY MANY P TWOS!
Csi, “Panadol” IS used to relieve pain…. .
A Panadol is used in most cases where there is fever and pain involve. Sometimes it takes only a panadol to make a person feel better. No need to pump the person with so much drugs. But of course, it depends on the illness…panadol alone is not enough.
It also depends on the persons’ perception.
Heard of the “hypocondriac “?
I do agree with one commentator ( I can’t recall the name) that let nature takes it’s course, to a certain extend…it makes sense
People pick the school and only the ones in demand survive.
The thing is “letting nature takes it’s course” …UNITY is right at the bottom of the rung in terms of priority after RACE and QUALITY in choosing a school.
The English school Medium was successful because it was not deemed as a school by a SPECIFIC race.
Be Honest everyone.
A vicious cycle we would see no end to.
“Sambil kucing bertanduk”
CSI/DG,
Thank you both for your comments….., but will like to touch on DG’s statement……, ” The English School Medium was successful because it was not deem for any specific RACE. ”
That is what 1 stream should be all about. We all need to sit down and digest.
“The Education Ministry plans to have more boarding and day secondary schools offering Japanese language as the third language after Bahasa Malaysia and English.”
The BN Government is losing touch with the real world! Why Japanese language not Chinese and Tamil languages?
Why Malaysian F1 team now while so many world class car manufacturers are quitting?
picktotell,
The M.O.E., is rigth on track……, is just that they should offer Bahasa JAWA….., before they offer Japanese Language, as the third language.
I hope you got the point.
Azhar, my sincerest apologies. Thank you for being so forgiving.
Check out http://khookaypeng.blogspot.com/2009/11/single-stream-school-system-malaysian.html
Vernacular school is not the cause of disunity. Deal with the ROOT and the ’sickness’ will be healed.
Vernacular school is not the main reason but it’s a contributing factor. They shape our future leaders.
Even the older generation can attest that the younger generation don’t mingle and are less understanding with other races.
We have people commenting that the private and civil service are not balance in racial composition, bringing about unhealthy race relations and work culture .
How does this differ from our present school system ?
Dear Dr. Rafick,
This is the first time i leave my message in your blog after have been following for quite some months (since TBH case).
I come from chinese vernacular primary school education background, and right now i’ve graduated from Master degree in Imperial College London and still pursuing a PhD.
I must ask why, a single-stream system must equal to 1-language dominated school system? Isn’t it that the content, or the syllabus of the education and the quality of delivery more important than ‘forcing’ children to accept the teaching language medium which is not their mother-tongue? Isn’t it universal that teaching a children in their mother tongue serves the best interest for the children?
Honestly, i don’t want Malaysia’s education system becoming like Singapore’s, in the perspective of language, especially. Perhaps you don’t know, since LKY closed down chinese-teaching medium Nanyang Uni (former NTU) and reformed the single-stream system (which put chinese into elective subject), how poor their chinese language command have become (ok, not all but many of them)… Perhaps you don’t understand how language has everything to do with the culture. We often heard how singaporean chinese are rapidly losing their ancestral cultural root and soul, in sharp contrast to our local chinese community which still flourishing in our culture.
I presume, if you defend democracy, you should also defend freedom and liberty. In my opinion, Malaysia government should allow the citizen exercise their freedom of choice for choosing which type of school they want to send their children. Even in UK and in US, their government DO SUPPORT vernacular language school, using taxpayers’ money. I support the diversity of vernacular government school system (at least at primary school level — the basic for language is very important there, trust me, if i don’t get educated in SJK(c), my chinese language commande could not be any better than students in Singapore’s system).
Bear in mind, that not every chinese’s mother tongue is chinese, some could even be English. That’s why I am also open-minded and welcome the suggestion to revive english-teaching medium school, let parents have the freedom of choice to choose which school they prefer to send their children to.
Single-stream school system already exist there in Secondary school level, Dr Rafick, you don’t have to worry. Nothing will really go wrong for children to attend vernacular primary school, if the syllabus content and quality of teaching are the same for all schools. Malay and English language subject should be made compulsory for all schools.
I went to SMK after SJK(c). I could mingle around and have a few good friends from other ethnics. In fact, i have even more closer friends from other ethnics during my tertiary education in London… language and cultural barrier were already broken down, most probably because of the maturity of thinking has improved substantially, and move further away from racism. We could even discuss about racism open-heartedly.
If you read more articles about the thoughts of chinese mother tongue writers/columnists (some of them can write in dual-languages, such as James Chin, Josh Hong and Wong Chin Huat), I guess many would agree that, it is not the language itself causing the problem, but the equality or fairness of government policies.
Single-stream school system shouldn’t always equal to single-language-dominated school system. There are many ways to promote interactions and communication among children from different ethnicity, making it single-language-dominated school system doesn’t solve the problem. As long as, in the end, they can all master Malay (National official Language) and English (International language), it should be ok for communication among different communities. Freedom of choice shouldn’t be compromised in a democratic society.
We Malaysian are special, we can unite in diversity but not singularity.
If this country is to move on and become a great nation we are barking at the wrong tree! Lest we can see further than just our race! Look at the American society. It has so many other races in it much more than what we have – latinos, chickanos, red indians, Italians, migrants from the world over the whole, the spectrum is so great compared to us.
They decided to learn one language in school and allow the other races to make their choice of learning other languages as extras, no restrictions but highly encouraged in fact!
Their military officers and men specialize in foreign languages seriously, you just name it! They can read, write and speak fluently! What are we driving at actually, if we think and feel that by not learning in school your own language you will forget it? One still speaks at home, practices whatever cultural norms at home, parents teach all of that NOT THE SCHOOLS, MIND YOU!
I Cannot really see it that way!
All the years back then…pre MCE, LCE and HSC days, what products came out of it? Are they all not today still serving the government? Are they all not top notch guys in all the GOVT departments? Have they lost anything, as far as culture, language and ability to remain as whatever race they were born?
HOW MANY MINISTERS DO WE HAVE ?
HOW MANY STUDIED LOCALLY BEFORE GOING ABROAD?
WHAT WAS THEIR FOUNDATION TO DO WELL OVERSEAS?
S0 ARE WE SAYING OUR SYSTEM WAS WRONG WAY BACK THEN – 30 ODD YEARS AGO?
WE GO BACKWARDS BECAUSE THE EVIL POLITICAL MASTERS HAD THEIR GAME PLAN TO KILL AND DESTROY THIS 3 GENERATIONS OF YOUTH WE HAVE TODAY!
THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE TODAY DUE TO TUN MAMAK!
NOBODY ELSE TO BE BLAMED!
So, Mahatir screw it up big time for his own selfish agenda and that of UMNO, after realizing that Malays suffered the most he decided to make a U-Turn! Come on guys that old fox can fool others BUT NOT ME!
LOOK AT ALL HIS CHILDREN -THE FOUR “M’s: MARINA, MIRZAN, MUKRIZ, MOKAZANI.
WHO ARE THEY TODAY, WHAT SCHOOL DID THEY GO TO, WHICH VARSITY THEY ATTENDED AND WHERE?
His so called WISMA PUTRA officers serving on foreign soil in the embassies can’t even WRITE a simple proper report in English, not in superb or good English! That was the turning point actually, he was horrified and terrified of that scenario, how can an officer be so damn low class?
Until this very day, old hands are running some very important cells in JPM, because the young green horns cannot read and understand what the hell is written in the reports gathered! So can we expect them to be able to analyse the subject matter and come up with a reliable conclusive & constructive finding!
Look at all the “think tank teams” currently in JPM!
What can we say : Half Past SIX”!
Tun borrowing this remark from TUN MAMAK!
SO now, CAN ALL OF YOU SEE THE REAL PICTURE!
IS IT NOT VERY LOUD AND VERY CLEAR!?
THE PEE M …TRYING TO WIN VOTES, SUPPORT and SYMPATHY WITH REMARKS SUCH AS: “Kalau semua kaum setuju baru kita buat!”
IS JUST ANOTHER 1 MALAYSIA JOKE!
PLEASE DON’T LAUGH, OR ELSE YOU CAN BE CHARGE FOR SEDITION!
CSI,
Point blank….that’s what some of us were refering to., by the way welcome back.
Dear Dr Rafick and other blog readers
I apologise for going off-topic.
Obviously, we have some very intelligent concerned citizens here. I have access to the intellectual-politicians of some of the progressive political parties here.
So, I would like to “bounce” some of my ideas off you.
I have compiled the following “brain storming for Malaysia” list. I would like your comments and suggestions for inclusion to the list. The PR needs to prepare its manifesto for the next General Election. There should be citizen input into it:
BRAINSTORMING FOR MALAYSIA
Malaysia establishes a National Health Service (like the NHS in the United Kingdom)
Malaysia starts a programme of “Healthy Cities” and “Healthy Communities”
Malaysia introduces a programme to “green” its cities and towns
Malaysia introduces a system of “fair price shops” to sell affordable basic foods to poor people (like in Kerala, India)
Malaysia nationalizes its water, power and sanitation companies
Malaysia introduces a Finland-style system of primary and secondary education
Malaysia introduces a U.S.-style system of higher education
Malaysia introduces a German-style apprentice system for low academic achievers
Malaysia gives monthly child support payments to families with newborn children (for 3 years after birth)
Malaysia introduces a Minimum Wage
Malaysia introduces Affirmative Action for the poor of all ethnic groups
Malaysia outlaws all forms of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability
Malaysia introduces a Singapore-style public housing programme
Malaysia introduces a system of Unemployment Compensation
Malaysia abolishes its army and replaces it with a National Police (like Costa Rica)
Malaysia changes its transport policy to encourage walking, biking and public transport
Malaysia raises road tax for private motor vehicles and uses the funds generated to finance public transport
Malaysia builds a bullet train system to link Penang and Johor Baru
Malaysia changes its electoral system to a “proportional representation” system (like New Zealand)
Malaysia abolishes laws such as the Internal Security Act that allow detention without trial
Malaysia invites foreign observers (foreign poll watchers) for all elections
Phua Kai Lit, PhD FLMI (October 2009)
Getting the center right(fundamentals) and everything else will follow. The different and diverse parts from different societies will never be equal to the whole. A Mr. Hyde in the making
.
Morning dew,
Are you implying HERD Mentality…., why not…., it might work in 1 Malaysia.
More on this subject. Intrestingly, this piece was written many years ago when Hishamuddin was still the Education Minister. Most of the points discussed seems to have remained, as raised by some of the commenters here.
http://english.cpiasia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1773:single-stream-schooling-the-bad-and-ugly-side&catid=208:dr-azly-rahman-&Itemid=156
Some how I just could not agree with your arguement of a 1 stream school to bring about unity and trust. Even though it is practiced world wide, but things are different in malaysia. On completion of the form 5 or 6 in a 1 stream, is where the problems lies where there is no fairness practised at all. I am sure you and all others know of it and will be a repetition if I were to mention it all.
San in the first comment have given an insight of the problems. Unless the unfair treatment is removed from all level of higher education to the job market..polarization will continue to exist.
Dear PM
If we are serious about unity 1-stream must be practice in fairness up to the tertiary level.
Dr Rafick
Fairness up to tertiary level is not good enough. We have to be fair and have a level playing field in job employment, promotion, allocation of contracts, licenses, no discount for buying houses etc etc.
The most important asset of a country is not its natural resources, but rather its human resources. This is especially true in a knowledge-based economy, which of course, will be the trend in the future if not already the trend in most of the western countries.
My daughter, who is in her final year medicine in Auckland, told me that a team of Singapore recruitment officers have just visited Auckland and talked to the Malaysian students there, offering jobs and training prospects for the final year students once they graduate.
My daughter also told me that over the last few years, quite a lot of her Malaysian seniors, after graduating from medical courses in New Zealand, have gone to Singapore to work as house officers and subsequently stayed back in Singapore for their postgraduate training. Similar teams are sent to Australia and UK for recruiting Malaysians there to work in Singapore.
About a year ago, Reuters reported: “Malaysia is counting on bright, ambitious people like Tan Chye Ling for its future, to lead it away from manufacturing and into the knowledge age.”
But the 32-year-old scientist, a postgraduate in molecular biology, is not counting on Malaysia to look after her future.
“I felt very suppressed in Malaysia,” said Tan, who moved to neighbouring Singapore, the region’s pacesetter for biotech investment, after a decade of research and study in Malaysia.
“I have benefited from the better research environment and salary scheme here. Things are much smoother,” she said by phone from the National University of Singapore where she is studying allergies and dust mites. Tan estimates that 60 percent of the research teams she works with in Singapore are from Malaysia, despite her country’s efforts over several years to develop a biotech industry.
There is a serious problem facing Malaysia and that is the problem of “brain drain”. Why are Malaysians overseas not coming back to work? Well, pay may be part of the reasons but it is not the main reason.
Singapore recruitment teams offer Malaysian medical students a salary which is a few times what they would expect to get in Malaysia S$40000 a year for houseman after tax (equivalent to RM86000) which is about five times the pay of a houseman in Malaysia.
But as I say, pay is not the main problem. The living expense overseas is high. And for a person working overseas, the loneliness and the stress level is also high. So not everyone opts to work overseas because of the pay. Many would not mind to work for a lesser pay if they can stay near to their loved ones. So why do people choose to work overseas, away from their loved ones?
Malaysia has many research centres and state-of-the-arts hospitals, which may even be the envy of many overseas countries. But hardware alone would not attract these experts to come home.
In the medical field, I have so many classmates/friends working overseas, many in world-renowned centres. Why do they do that? Some of my classmates and friends did come back as specialists. After working a few years (many only lasted a few months), most got disillusioned and went off again.
There is really not much prospect of career advancement here. How many can hope to become a professor even when they are an acknowledged expert in their field? How many of them can blend into the local team where the work attitude is vastly different from that overseas? How many of them can have a say about how things are to be run? On the other hands, lesser beings are being promoted to professorship for doing much less.
There is an unwritten rule that even if the person is very good, the head of the team has to be someone from a certain ethnic group who may not be even half as good as him. In everyday life, some become disillusioned with the corruption, the red tape and the “tidak apa” attitude of officialdom.
For an overseas doctor applying to work back home, the application can take up to six months to get approved, whereas Singapore sends teams overseas to recruit them on the spot and offering them jobs immediately as long as they pass their final examinations. See the difference?
It is the sense of being appreciated and being wanted that make these people stay overseas. Back here, they are often made to feel that they are of a lower class. They do not feel appreciated and they do not feel wanted. That is the main reason.
For those with children, the education system further puts them off. Even school children can feel being discriminated against and one glaring example is the two system pre-university education.
All these make them pack their bags and off they go again, leaving behind their parents, perhaps their siblings, the friends they grew up together with and their favourite food that is often not available overseas. No one likes to be away from home but circumstances and a sense of being recognised for their worth make them go away. It is really sad.
Parents spend big sums of money on educating their children but the ones who benefit most are the Singaporeans, the Americans, the Australians, the British and so on.
As long as race politics is not done away with, this problem of “brain drain” will continue and Malaysia will always trail behind the advanced countries no matter how many Putrajaya and Twin Towers we build.
No point discussing about 1Sekolah until…
… the administration and the teachers of national schools are revamped to build professionalism – the noblest intentions will fail if the key players are of poor quality; Knowing this, why tear down a very effective Chinese school administration/teaching team to be replaced by a proven team of failures. (Of course, the downward slide is easily covered by the progressive lowering of standards)
… the political leaders themselves lead the way by sending their own children to national schools instead of international schools.
Dear drrafick, (Dear Picktotell, please see below)
Quality does matter, that is the primary reason why majority of Chinese would like their children enroll into the famous Chinese vernacular schools. It was also the same reason why the Chinese parents in the old days liked to enroll their children into English Medium schools.
Dr Rafick- I think you misunderstood what i meant. Please read again what I had wrote. Quality is important in everything we do here but 1-school is not about quality. It is about having one system. It there is a problem with the quality, then it should be address. Quality should not be excuse for not wanting one stream. The Mandarin(and others) school can still continue exist as private entity. The government must only provide one system. Other education system must go under private education.
I believe Chinese can easily accept changes provided those changes can truly enhance the education quality of their children. I have been working in China, HK and USA, Chinese
in general are the same, they can spend all their life saving to make sure their children receive the best education.
Dr Rafick- As i said if the government education system has no quality, we as parents must play our part to enhance quality. They can send their children to any better quality where they like
If we want our children to be able to compete globally, the knowledge subjects in 1 stream school has to be in English. Chinese and Tamil can be compulsory elective of either one. Since Non-Malays want their children to learn more about their own roots, after school classes should be made available. BM will certainly be a compulsory subject with more hours and an official language in the school administration.
Dr Rafick – All language subject must be provided to all children in primary school
If the quality of the 1 stream school is excellent interms of the teaching staff, facilities, student welfare, teaching subjects with the garantee of meritocracy system and impartial policies towards all races, i see no reason for not suppoting the 1 stream school.
Dr rafick – As I said, we should have one stream for the sake of the nation
I agree with 1 stream school but can we risk the future of children by putting all the eggs into 1 basket!
Dr Rafick- In this case, I would say the risk will be lowered as all children learn and play with each other and learn each other language and culture.
Dear Dr,
Your observation on our fragmentated society today is mostly correct. I beg to offer that the solution to the problem would not be resolved just be implementing piecemeal “cures” like 1School.
I enjoyed reading this piece is another blog, I highly recommend it..
http://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/4754/
Thanks.
Dear Dr Rafick
Here are my thoughts on this controversial and emotional
topic. (I am a Malaysian patriot of Chinese ancestry who deplores how our beloved country has deteriorated under the misrule of the divisive, kleptocratic UMNO/BN regime).
I basically agree with you. It would be good if we have a school system that uses Malay as the medium of instruction — but which also uses more and more English as the students progress to pre-university level. At upper secondary level, there should be heavy usage of English
in teaching and learning. At the same time, those who wish to learn Mandarin and Tamil should also be given the opportunity to do so in well-funded language programmes
within the government schools.
Having said this, at the present moment, under this divisive, kleptocratic regime, it’s best to keep things status quo. After a regime change, with a progressive social democratic govt that promotes equality of opportunity (coupled with affirmative action for the poor of all races and for marginalised ethnic groups such as the Orang Asli),
we can seriously consider implementing a system like what I proposed above.
Why? It’s because I am suspicious of the motives of the ruling regime. They are just using this issue to pander to Malay language nationalists i.e. being divisive in order to shore up their deteriorating support amongst the Malays.
I also wish to add that using Malay as the medium of instruction just makes communication amongst Malaysians easier. It does not promote unity. Unity can only be promoted by having people from the different ethnic groups interact ON AN EQUAL BASIS and in an ENVIRONMENT THAT ACTIVELY PROMOTES TOLERANCE OF CULTURAL AND VALUE DIFFERENCES.
Phua Kai Lit, PhD
P.S. Food for thought: My friends and I were educated in govt schools where English was the medium of instruction.
But now, my English-educated Chinese-Malaysian friends send their kids to Chinese-language SRJK primary schools.
Why?
Dr Phua,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I share similar thinking and sentiments as you’ve written.
We, referring to all, are having resistance to the one school system because of the fear of hidden political motives. But, if we were keep on with the segregation, we’ll be as we are in the mess now. Any further discussion on racial integration will bring out the negative conscience among us.
All we need is the majority among us are to support the one school system. it will only bear some fruits of the sacrifices we do today in 30 years down the line.
What we should be discussing or arguing, from time to time, is the method to improve our education delivery system and not of the racial mix or language of instruction.
Otherwise, thrity years from here, our generation will be saying exactly what we are discussing here.
Dear PKL
I agree with most of your argument and agree on the approach in education.
However
(1) Both the present and potential government does not want to take the right action to correct the current racial based education system.
(2) Having one stream means it improves communication which will improve trust and greater national unity. This is well demonstrated in many countries around the world.
(3) There is no true equality in this world. America, the world largest democracy also practice some significant level of biasness.
(4) The people must be the chech and balance in ensuring that fair practice exist among Malaysian. We acknowledge it is currently not fair, so why not take the first step in making it fair. It is proven worldwide that education system is the key.
Let’s make better for the next generation.
drrafick
I need to point out 2 key points
1. Singapore succeeded because they chose English as the key language. Hence the population recognised there is no racial agenda and indeed who can argue about the importance of English (except only Mandarin). In Malaysia the policy of BM would be seen to entrench Bahasa Melayu for the advantage of 1 race. We have seen the dismal failure of introduction of English. Even my children in lower secondary sees BM as only needed up to Form 5 and irrelevant after that. And then there is this bugbear about learning Mandarin. In an age of the necessity of living with China on our doorstep, the concept of Bahasa Melayu has become increasingly irrelevant.
2. I suspect that allowing private schools would have an opposite effect. Many of the vernacular schools would take this opportunity to break free from the Education Dept. If you look at the desperation of parents in sending their children to tuition and the long waiting lists for vernacular and private schools, you will realise that before you talk about single stream, the Education Dept has become an object of scorn. Indeed there are many mission schools who would grab the opportunity to go private.
Example of kiasu mentality. No need for explanation just plain kiasu..
The truth is that Umno has ruled supreme for the last 50 years. It always got its way because the dominant ethnic majority of the country always supported its policies.
The state of the nation is corrupt, discriminatory, inefficient, racist, unjust, and backward. If Malaysia stinks then it is because Umno stinks.
If the “morals of the country” stinks, then it is because the morals of Umno politicians stinks.
I won’t even discuss the morality of explosives and murder of foreign nationals as most people seem to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong in this instance.
Instead, I shall talk about Umno corruption and Umno racism as the former will occasion the disastrous downfall of this nation, and the latter will be the downfall of the malays.
Umno teaches that it is just to discriminate against all non-malays and non-Muslims: business, college universities, education opportunities, government contracts, jobs, schools, taxes, and even finding a cemetery to bury the dead.
Umno teaches that it is right to discriminate on the basis of a person culture, language, race or religious belief.
In front of malays, it speaks of the race and religious, cultural and language supremacy, glorification of ethnic and power subjugation, and in front of non-malays, it speaks of the tolerance and unity in diversity.
To the vernacular schools it gives a pittance for support, and to malay language schools, there is no need to be diplomatic and call them “national language” schools, it gives 100% support.
As for English medium schools, the type that made Malaysia education the best in South East Asia, and our school leavers the most sought after anywhere in the civilised world, they were made extinct, courtesy of Umno cultural fantasies and language supremacist.
So we are left with unemployable graduates with deplorable job skills and prospects.
Umno language supremacist policies caused the extinction of the best high quality education that Malaysia and the malays would ever know.
Umno perversion of the very idea of meritocracy in favour of racist discrimination has ensured the lack of meritocractic competition for all Malaysians.
Later or sooner, the malays will realise that denying meritocracy to non-malays guarantees that there can be no meritocracy for malays even within their own community.
Umno policies caused a brain drain to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and the US.
The fact that there is no entitlement complex nor inferiority complex or notable NEP dependence amongst the non-malays is no accident.
If the non-malays were the dominant ethnic majority, and they had an Umno-like racist party to lead them with promises of ethnic privileges, ethnic supremacy and racial discrimination, then I believe they would have lost their self-belief, self-confidence, and self-respect too.
Farish Noor once said “Umno ternak melayu untuk disembelih”.
I agree, and if the dominant ethnic majority fails to see past Umno false gods of ethnic aggrandizement and seductive promises of ethnic supremacy, then we are all finished.
drrafick,
i don’t mind to support 1 school system in Malaysia if the system is as good as NYC public school school system.
http://schools.nyc.gov/default.htm
i don’t think we should make a big fuss out of vernacular schools, it is not the root of the racial problems, it is actually a valuable asset to the Country as recognized by the foreign investors.
1 school system for 1 Malaysia may only be accepted by all non-malays if there is no longer having any forms of NEP that divide the Malaysians into Bumi and Non-Bumi. Meritocracy system must be implemented before the 1 school system.
i am blessed with my 2 kids studying in NYC public schools. find some time to take a look at the website, you will realize how sucks is our Education department.
BTW, i am currently very busy with my projects and thus no time for new posting in my blog.
Dear someone
Let us not get mixed up between quality and 1 stream. Quality is lacking in many schools and should be address accordingly
Dear all
I read the diverse views of all the comments presented here. Most of it are professionally argued which I fully appreciated. Based on the comments, I conclude the following:
(1) From the comments, it appears very clearly the polarized nature of society.
(2) Many readers fail to understand the basis of 1-stream argument. Many thinks 1-stream = closing all vernacular schools and forced everyone to go to national school. This is not the aim.
(3) Some group defended the need to maintain the vernacular school on the basis that they will lose their culture and language. Others claims that they will lose their dignity.Is it really the case? They never asked what they gain.
(4) Some demand that to change, they expect change to be from the top. There is some justification to it but I believe the we must take one step at a time. Start with std 1 and go pleural all the way to the university.
(5) It is so bad now that UMNO has one university, MCA has one university, Gerakan has one university and MIC has one university too. All this university maintain a racial based admission system.
I agree what is needed is to have a fair policy. In this instant the fair policy refers to
(A) 1 stream for all government funded schools. This is open to all without quota.
(B) All other schools (Tamil,Mandarin,Religious,others including those schools that the Malays wants to maintain as a Malay school only) must operate without government funding. They have to become private school.
(C) All private schools can run their school independently and decides on admission matters on their own.
(D) This 1-stream program must start with standard 1 students and proceed till tertiary education.
In reality, if anyone has a better formula that will work, kindly put your idea across. Putting forward arguments to defend the current system by demanding others to give in first would not be a healthy way of arguing the point.
One fact is clear. The current system contributes to the polarization of our nation. The commentators here demonstrated it very well. It is very sad indeed. Change for the better we must.
Dr Rafick,
Agree with you but not totally…, can use first start with how 1 stream system works.
a. What is the language to be use..?
b. What subjects it will be use for ?
c. If BM is the core language …..are we ready for it.
Do we have the resources to implement it and how
sincere is the government.
d. If BM is the core language…, will it effect us in the long
run……, since it’s all globalize even now.
e. Please admit that 1 stream will compose not only BM
but English as well.
Failing to address and define how one perceives on 1System in education……will lead us all no where. The objectives are there….., but where is the ” BLUE PRINT “
correction : can you
Balasi
My reply are as follows (presented according to your questions):
(a) Core language is Bahasa Malaysia and other language subjects are also offered in the school
(b) All subjects except for other language subjects
(c) Why are we not ready for it?
(d) In a globalize world, the nation that is united will be in the forefront.
(e) Dont understand your argument here
(f) If people agree to have one system, then we can start by drawing the blueprint.
Dr. Rafick,
Thank you for your response…., at times, very difficult to get a respons from you due to your other commitments. Will answer you the same way you did short and simple.
a. It should be the way.
b. It will be a total disaster…., believe me.
c. We don’t have the means…., we are all living on borrowed Tech….., and we are Agro base. Do you mean we will let our children learn from translated scripts……, forgive me …..you are wrong…, for the government to be has no directions.
d. Forgive me ….., not in Malaysia.
e. BM is in it’s infant stage…., we have nothing to propagate it as a main stream language…., unless we dig and bury ourself..in the hole that we dug.
” DOC…., In what sense do BM play it’s role.? ”
Can BM live with borrowed therm’s ..and become a laughing stalk…., or we Malasysian act smart.
f. After reading so many of our commentator’s …, it’s a shere waste of time….., for all ethnic groups..in Malaysia…., are still weaning of their mum for MILK.
Correction… it should be terms.
drrafick,
Core language is BM for Std 1 to University ?
BM in all subjects including Fizik, kimia & Biologi ?
So the U students will use English reference book and answer exam Qs in BM? Or maybe we have to wait for DBP to translate all the english reference books ?
These are the painful experience that I have gone thru during my days. You want your kids to follow these footsteps again?
Dear Enzymo
Please read my writings again (preferably 3x)
Never mind, I know these Qs are difficult to answer.
I believe you have started to think that most readers do not understand what you are trying to put forward…well you are not alone, most of us feel the same way too.
If Najib really sincere in 1School , why not he break the ice ..
-Open UiTM and Mara to All Malaysian – Instead of just Bumi ..
-Remove the University admission quota and based on merit ..
-Everyone malaysian kids will have the loan scholarship as long you enroll to local uni without caring what races are u ..
I Remember, someone proposed to open 5% to non-bumi , those students stage protest on the street …. so dont blame others ,look at your own backyard first….
Moonrider,
That’s what I have been saying all along…., in Malaysia Bolih Land there are two sets of Law…., depending of which side of the divide you belong.
1 Malaysia is not going to worth it’s FART.
Dear Balasi and Moonrider
What you and moonrider has demonstrated is “not wanting the system” and justify your argument by a negative way.
Why dont we say, ok let us do it. Start with Std 1 and from there progress to university level as we go along. This way, it will not be a shock to ALL. It is a small step and over 12-18 years down the road, it will be equal for all at school, pre-university and university level.
We are behaving like what we are today because of the current system and yet as moonrider and yourself (and few others) has demonstrated, would only accept change if it meets certain difficult demands NOW! It seems like, we just want the current dividing system to continue for another 52 years.
Again, I repeat what I wrote earlier.
” I agree what is needed is to have a fair policy. In this instant the fair policy refers to
(A) 1 stream for all government funded schools. This is open to all without quota.
(B) All other schools (Tamil,Mandarin,Religious,others including those schools that the Malays wants to maintain as a Malay school only) must operate without government funding. They have to become private school.
(C) All private schools can run their school independently and decides on admission matters on their own.
(D) This 1-stream program must start with standard 1 students and proceed till tertiary education.
In reality, if anyone has a better formula that will work, kindly put your idea across. Putting forward arguments to defend the current system by demanding others to give in first would not be a healthy way of arguing the point.
One fact is clear. The current system contributes to the polarization of our nation. The commentators here demonstrated it very well. It is very sad indeed. Change for the better we must.”
Dr. Rafick,
After reading your reply…, and looking at it from the view of other commentators in this blog, I think it’s time for me to propose as such.
1 stream for all that is BM, …..but not for maths and science, these subjects…should be taught in English.
[ reason......tech changes so fast..it's hard to keep track and translate at our whimp and fancies. It changes just like hand phone models and it's features. ]
P.O.L. and Ugama should be taught after normal schooling hours…., and a credit is required, inorder to get a full Cert. This will make sure that students strive in these subjects.
Minimun exposer of religion and its activities in school…, then we might be right on tract.
Hope this answer my conviction.
moonrider,
about the protest, i heard from reliable source, that student were forced to demo, they were given freebies and even banners be sponsored…so, just dont take it as total rejection…
1. Politicians from the Chinese and Indian ethnic groups get very emotional when dealing with vernacular schools. It is as if their pride, culture and the very survival of their race depends on the existence of vernacular schools.
2. Such an attitude of racial defensiveness based on language is no longer useful in the modern world. It is not necessary to have vernacular schools to guarantee the survival of Mandarin and Tamil.
3. In the case of Indians the tragedy is that Tamil schools have played a large role in keeping their community backward.
4. In the first place, Tamil schools lack proper facilities and good teachers due to neglect by the govt. More importantly, Tamil is not the language of commerce and industry. Even in India it is English and Hindi.
5. The result is that Indians educated in Tamil schools are seriously handicapped early in life.
6. Chinese schools are better off because the community is able to support Chinese schools although they suffer the same neglect by the govt. Mandarin is an important world language due to the rise of China and Chinese school graduates can turn to S’pore, Taiwan and China to further their education.
8. The point is that vernacular schools have different impact on Chinese and Indians with Indians worse off.
9. I fully support a 1 stream education system for better national integration but we need to educate the politicians who are rabidly against it due to emotional and outdated reasons.